Google Adwords is Google’s search advertising platform. You know the ads that you see on Google’s search results? If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, here’s a screenshot:

See where it says “paid listings” on the top and right side in red? Those are ads served by Google Adwords. If you want your website listing to show up in those areas of the search results, you have to advertise through Google Adwords. If you don’t want to spend money on advertising, then your only option is to compete on the organic side. Organic listings on Google are free, but it’s not easy getting a top 10 ranking, especially in more competitive industries. If you’re looking for better organic rankings, then SEO may be what you’re looking for. Either way, you’re going to end up spending some time and money on promoting your site.

How does Google Adwords work?

Here’s the basics of how it works. You sign up with Google Adwords and create your ad campaigns through their interface. Once you’ve entered your billing information, your ads will begin to run. Then, every time someone searches for a keyword that you’ve bid on, your ad may show in the search results. I say “may show” because there are some factors that determine how ads are displayed on Google’s search results, such as Quality Score, bid amount and competition. If your ad does happen to show and someone clicks on your ad, you are charged for that click. Every single time your ad is clicked, you will be charged for it. For this reason, Google Adwords is often referred to as a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform.

Now, let’s talk about the pros and cons of Google Adwords.

Pros:

• Quality traffic – Like most of Google’s products and services, you’d know that they’re dedicated to delivering quality.
• Targeting capability – You can fine tune your campaign to target the right audience (keywords, demographics, location, time, etc.).
• Control – They offer a ton of features and options (budget, ad options, keyword types, etc.).
• Speed – You could start receiving traffic almost immediately. This is a big plus for people who can’t wait weeks or months for organic traffic.

Cons:

• Cost – You get what you pay for. Industries with more competition are going to see a higher cost-per-click (CPC) rate.
• Experience makes a big difference – Anyone can set up and run a Google Adwords campaign, but to do it cost-effectively, it takes someone with experience.
• Requires maintenance – You can’t just set it and forget it. You have to monitor your campaign’s performance because things change over time. Adwords is a complex system to begin with, but add to the mix a bunch of competitors coming and going, with bids fluctuating on a daily basis, things can get really complicated. Futhermore, you need to optimize your campaigns in order to remove ineffective strategies and maximize your profits.

Should you use Google Adwords?

It depends. PPC makes sense for some businesses, but not all. Look at your business model and finances to determine whether it’ll make sense for you. For example, if you’re selling coffee mugs for a $2 a piece and it costs you $20 to convert one visitor into a buying customer, then it’s probably not a good investment for you. But on the other hand, if you’re selling a product with a high profit margin like a car or a Rolex watch, then Adwords may be worth a try.

Google Adwords promo coupon code

If you don’t have an Adwords account yet and you’re interested in trying it out, I have some Adwords promo coupon codes to give out. Here’s how to get a $100 credit applied to your account: Open a new Adwords account and spend at least $25 on your ad campaign.

To get started, click here: Google Adwords

Note: Did you know that Microsoft also offers paid search advertising? It’s called Bing Ads.